In the name of making life easier...

Hi folks. If you are reading this you probably are related or a really good friend. I haven't updated in a year or so. But I have good reasons. You know, things like raising children, keeping house, working and all those other things that plenty of other people blog and do at the same time. But that's not me. In order to simplify my life I will be consolidating my blogging efforts by combining Hazelwood House with my What's for Dinner blog. So from here on out check out http://deannasgoodeats.blogspot.com/ for tasty dinner suggestions as well as to keep up with our family.
Over and out.

Snow Day

We got our first snow day of the year. So far we have about 4.5-5 inches of snow on the ground. We get about one good snow a year and this is most likely IT.

It started Sunday afternoon and we had to go play in it while it was falling.

We stayed outside maybe a whole 5 minutes. It was very cold and windy. 

Here is my attempt to take a snow picture at night with my tripod. It is always so bright at night when it's snowing. Doesn't quite look like night time at all.

This is probably the clearest picture to see how much snow we received. 

A rare picture of me with the boys. I really do love the snow despite the messiness and inconvenience of it all. 

Grant has never been a big fan of the snow though he handled it much better this year than last year.

I had to carry him about the last 10 minutes we were outside. Poor baby just doesn't like being cold.

He kept calling everything dirty. The tree was dirty and his shoes were getting dirty since they were covered in snow. 

Miles loves running around in the snow. 

He also liked finding mason's freshly raked leaf piles to jump on. 

Both of the boys enjoyed seeing their footprints.

The one thing Miles wanted to do was make a big snowball and throw it. He kept asking us to show him how. We tried but it is a very dry snow and would not stick together. That also made our attempts at a snowman very difficult. We also are not the most skilled professionals at snowballing. We get snow maybe a couple times a year so we don't have much practice at it.

He wasn't quite so keen on being cold and wet this year. He tried one snow angel and decided that was not worth laying down in the snow for.

We don't have any waterproof gloves so when both boys tried to touch the snow their gloves would get wet and then hands get cold. That drove us inside both days. Here I come sporting goods store to find waterproof children's gloves/mittens. 

(And have you ever tried to put gloves on a 2 year old? It's very difficult let me tell you.)

While it was snowing outside we have a few inside snow traditions. When the first snow flakes fall I usually place a bowl outside to catch some clean snow for snow cream. And of course we drink hot chocolate to warm up after being in the cold wet stuff. I usually bake some kind of cookies and we have a bowl of hot soup for dinner. Check out my food blog for some of those recipes.

The temperatures are not to break freezing until tomorrow afternoon so maybe we can play in it more before it disappears.

Christmas Traditions - part I

I've neglected this poor site for a while. Since life got crazy with "the holidays" to be exact. I don't just mean the big Christmas one. I mean Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I don't know why they save all the big ones for the end of the year but it creates havoc for my schedule.
I've settled down and have a few spare minutes so I'm posting some holiday highlights. I've also done a bit of soul searching in preparation of my New Year's resolutions, trying to decide how get better control of my life so that our schedules aren't driving us to the edge of insanity. That will result in cutting some things out, and this might be one of them unless someone can give me a good reason why. (Is anyone out there actually reading this?)


We ushered in Christmas with the hanging of the greens - which would be our christmas tree.

I started a tradition last year to give each person their own ornament and those are the first ones hung on the tree that year.

We took a small trip (only a 14 hour drive) to North Carolina to visit Grandaddy, Mimi, and Uncle Sam.

It was brief but it was quality time and we already miss them.  I was able to go eat lunch at my brother's school and it made my trip. I wish I could be more involved in his life like that.
The boys love their Uncle Sam and Miles tears up talking about him because he misses him so.

And this past weekend Miles performed with his friends in "Big Church" Sunday morning. The boys were shepherds and the girls were angels. We have video and will post it later.

And then we went across the street to our church Christmas lunch. And guess who stopped by?

 I'm really glad he did because we had promised Miles that he would get to tell Santa that he wanted a scooter (or skateboard) but had not gotten around to it. Miles was relieved to get that off of his chest.

Every year since we have lived here we visit the capitol to see the lights and decorations. I guess you could call that a tradition.

And there is more to come. The big stuff like Santa, and more family, and holiday baking...

Thorn in my side...

My mantle and bookshelves in this new house have been my decorator's thorn in the side. I shuffle, take everything off and put everything back on, and do this and that and it never looks right. I was trying to make it look like someone else's mantle and that never works.

My bunco ladies came over and I wanted it finished before they arrived. I finally was true to myself using a set of guidelines from the nesting place and I think it turned out acceptable. I like it. I am sure I will change it in 2 or 3 months - or weeks - ( I can't wait for Christmas!) but for now this makes me happy. And I would not have said that a week ago.

Scale - There's big stuff and small stuff - and then some in between. I could probably use some even bigger stuff but I am going with what I have now. (I am NOT USED to these big spaces yet.)

Height Variations kind of also fit in here because big stuff and small stuff are different heights.

Layering - things in front of things. (That is a very technical definition.)

From 2010-09-14

Textures - plants, shiny, smooth, rough, glass, wood, metal - all different stuff.

Natural - the simple addition of the plant and few sticks that I picked up from outside made a huge difference. And you know you love the blackbird on the mantle (which is one of my favorite songs of all time.)

From 2010-09-14

Meaningful - there are several meaningful things - family photos (and don't hate because I have a few empty frames up and some with the people that came in the frames), a little red vase that I loved from my grandmother's home in LA, a pitcher that was my favorite wedding gift, an autographed E. Faye Jones architectural print that we got when living in Fayetteville, and a knick-knack that belonged to my parents. Those are all a few of my favorite things.

Essentially I just put tastefully together all the things that I love even if they didn't seem like mantle stuff and it worked. How silly was it for me to sweat over it all these months. Piece of cake. I think the largest lesson learned was that I need to forget all the pottery barn catalogs and blog sites and just be true to myself. I can glean from them, but I need to quit trying to duplicate.

Night and Day

From 2010-08-12

Have you ever seen a two year old furrow their brow any harder? I can't imagine. This picture displays the difference between these two boys even though they came from the same gene pool. Upfront they are both delightful children to be around (most of the time.) They are both good eaters, good sleepers, and well behaved for the most part. But their temperaments are like the difference between night and day.

Miles takes 15 minutes to wake up in the morning and heaven forbid if you have to wake him from a nap before he is ready. He would rather be in his PJs all day (with no shoes), and will tell me he does not want to go outside. He would rather sit on the couch. Grant wakes up running, and wanting to go out the door - in the car, outside, to the store, to church - anywhere. He wants his shoes on and his "new clothes" on by an hour after he is awake.

Miles has never known a stranger since the day he was born. He loves all people. Waves to everyone at the store. He has never been much of a clinger because he loves being with people. Grant has to get used to people before he is going to even LOOK at you. My grandmother, who we see about once a month, thinks that I have somehow told him stories on her because he will not run up and give her a hug. Grant likes his inner circle of friends and anyone else is going to have to earn his attention.

Miles will sit and watch tv all day. Grant might watch it for 15 minutes. Miles loves reading books. Grant does not have the time for a book.

Miles is not Mr. Independent. He will gladly accept your help, in fact you can do it all for him and he doesn't care. He is very laid back - borderline lazy. Since Grant could speak, he was asserting his independence. If I try to help him into his car seat, he immediately slides out and climbs back in by himself. 

I mentioned they are both pretty good eaters but Miles likes his fruits and veggies (preferrably raw) and pasta. He doesn't care so much for meat. Grant is a meat and potatoes kind of boy. He will eat a few veggies but his portfolio is much more limited than Miles'. Now sit a bowl of mashed potatoes in front of him and he will clean it out for you.

Night and day they are, but I know big things are in store for both of them. I'm praying they can find productive outlets for these traits and that I will figure out how to teach them according to these strengths and weaknesses. 

#2

From 2010-08-14

Grant has officially endured birthday #2. In the middle of the everydayness of parenthood, it has seemed like quite the long journey but on the flip side I can't believe my baby is 2!! When did that happen?

Grant a couple days after he was born ... (THOSE CHEEKS!!!)

Grant on his first birthday...

From 2010-08-14

And here he is at his second birthday party....

Apparently genetics influence more than just the way you look, but your taste buds as well. Grant has received Mason's taste for all things ice cream and we decided to go with an ice cream party to celebrate Grant's birthday. I'm not sure why but Grant's parties are much more low key than Miles' and we had mostly family and a couple friends in attendance. We played, grilled burgers and just enjoyed the company of those we love.

From 2010-08-14

An essential for every child's party is a bouncy house. It is a shame it was 110 outside and we could not enjoy it for a longer period of time.

From 2010-08-14

This is Pop and in case you didn't know it, he hung the moon (according to my boys.)

From 2010-08-14

The spread...

From 2010-08-14

These are our friends Amelia and Mrs Kaky (as Grant calls her). Amelia and Grant are only a couple weeks apart.

This is Amelia at last year's birthday bash. She has changed a lot as well but she is as cute as ever!

From 2010-08-14

No party would be complete without Aunt Kimmie and Matt. (Sorry Matt, they don't call you uncle??)

From 2010-08-14

Singing Happy Birthday to Grant. (I believe I was demonstrating how to blow out the candle.)

From 2010-08-14

Enjoying the cupcakes (and ice cream) with cousin Allison.

From 2010-08-14

Toddlers and cupcakes are always a winning combination.

From 2010-08-14

Amelia's brother Sam and his daddy enjoying a book in the air conditioning.

This is Miles' best friend who is also only a few weeks older than Miles.

From 2010-08-14

From 2010-08-14

It's not a birthday at our house without the birthday banner. Now we have a proper mantle to display it.

From 2010-08-14 We opened a few gifts...

From 2010-08-14

including a Cozy Coupe. It has been quite the hit here.

Happy Birthday Grant. You will always be my baby.